Faller "Pirate Island Wildwater Log Ride" Thrill Ride

Pirates, pumps, palms, cannons, conveyors, swords and sails! This fully functional motorized and liquified HO Scale model from Faller® has got it all. Two motors power the wonderfully engineered conveyor systems that carry the twelve log boats to the top of two continuous track circuits while two circulating pumps provide the water. Over 950 precise and colorful parts are included, assembly is straight forward and only mildly challenging, and the level of detail is extreme all of which place Pirate Island arguably at the pinacle of model building entertainment. This is quite simply one of the most fun models to build and to watch as the log boats plunge around the eleven foot long racing course.

Fit and finish is exceptional. The instructions are quite good with few errors (see below) and should be read carefully and followed in the correct sequence. As always, we do have a few other helpful hints which might enhance your building experience:

Carefully check all the part racks for broken parts prior to assembly. There are many very small and delicate parts in this kit and you may discover some breakage. Any breaks you may find are much easier to repair prior to removing the parts from the racks.

We recommend using Faller® quick drying Super Expert Cement. Even if you ALWAYS replace the cap and clean the applicator stem after each use you will still find that the very thin metal applicator will occasionally clog. When this occurs, and it will occur, use a match or butane lighter to, briefly, apply heat to the applicator tip to unclog the stem. Faller® Glue is available through our site.

Step "F" on Page 8. I found that it was easier to remove all 24 of Part# 8/8 and to glue them to the corresponding 24 Part# 8/10 while the 8/10' were still attached to the parts racks.

Page 12. You may find it simpler to remove the two motors before placing the conveyor assemblies.

Steps "D" and "E" on Page 14. Glue the sails to the masts before attaching the strings.

Step "H" on Page 15. I used paper clips to hold the "wave" pieces in place on top of the troughs while the glue set.

Step "G" on Page 8 and Steps "T" and "V" on Page 18. Several of the holes on Part# 8/8 were too small and needed to be drilled out using a 1/16" bit.

Step "N" on Page 22. For tying up the hanging bags, take a needle and white thread and sew in and out around the perimeter of the fabric. Draw the string tight, loop several times around the top and knot.

For power, this European model requires either a conventional model train transformer or a difficult to locate 12-16VAC power supply neither of which is included by Faller®. 16VAC Power Supply Part# 163053 is available on our site. Good luck finding it anywhere else.

You should consider these tools and materials to aid you in your project:

A small file, such as our Blue Cushion Board, for filing off any excess plastic remaining after you have removed parts from the rack.

Though an age suitability rating is not suggested by the manufacturer, due to some very small parts and overall complexity we have rated this product for ages 9 and above.

We are interested in hearing about building experiences with this model and would like to share your impressions with other visitors to our site.

*Categories are rated on a scale of from one to ten where applicable and reflect only the opinions and experiences of our staff. We provide these ratings only as a guideline to aid you in your product choices. Your experience may vary.